Clean & Clear

BY: CARLI KINGSLEY, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility

Nearly one in 10 people worldwide, or twice the population of the United States, live without clean water. Despite cryptocurrencies and self-driving cars, 771 million people live in isolated, rural areas suffering to collect water for their families. Strenuously walking miles for water not only keeps children out of school and parents out of work, but the gathered water often carries diseases that lead to family illnesses. More than we think, access to clean water has a tremendous impact on an individual’s life creating open doors to education, income and health — especially for women and kids. Pacific Dental Services is committed to help take part in putting a stop to the water crisis. This is our why.

Pacific Dental Services’ partnership with charity: water began 14 years ago in 2009. We were the first corporate organization to use charity: water’s new fundraising site my, charity: water, as we raised over $11,000. We pledged a donation for every Smile Generation ® patient who received braces as well as every CAD/CAM CEREC restoration produced.

The next year, in 2010, we raised $91,000 for Haiti. Historically we’ve fundraised with chili cook-offs, dunk-adoc water tanks, golf tournaments, jerry can water walks, and more throughout our supported offices and support centers. Since then, the PDS family and Smile Generation patients have donated more than $7 million to charity: water. Our efforts have brought clean, safe drinking water to more than 200,000 people in six countries.

This year, we were on a mission to raise $600,000 for charity: water – enough to bring access to clean drinking water to more than 10,000 people in Uganda. Regions across the country hosted fundraising contests including a race for the first practice to reach their $660 office goal. Another was challenging offices to double their $660 office goal to see their RP complete the viral One Chip Challenge. Thanks to you, we surpassed our goal this year and raised over $700,000.

Our strong commitment to ending the water crisis is because we know and believe that water changes lives. To all who have contributed, we thank you for your heart, time and efforts.

Carli Kingsley Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility